Okay, I was reading some articles today and one of them suggested that I take just one of my skin care products, any type, and list the ingredients in it, then see how many of them are toxic.

I chose a product manufactured by a well-known skin care company which is based outside my own country. Obviously the product is not exactly cheap and is actually highly regarded by many of my friends. It does what it claims to do. Here is what I found about my favorite product.

My products ingredients are:

Water; non toxic, because it is listed 1st, I know that there is more water in this product than any other ingredient.

Glycerin; non toxic, acts as a humectant when mixed with water, can actually draw moisture from the air. If it was used pure, it would actually dehydrate the skin because it attracts moisture so well.

Cetyl Alcohol; non toxic, often used to help the texture but can work as a moisturizer when mixed with certain ingredients.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride; non toxic, natural fatty acids used to help keep moisture in the skin.

Denatured Alcohol (written as alcohol, denat.); toxic if swallowed, often causes dryness and irritation in skin.

Mineral Oil; conflicting reports so it hard to determine whether this is toxic in my product or not.

Dimethicone; trap any allergens, debris or toxins on the skin because of its coating action, because of this, it accelerates the aging process.

Glyceryl Stearate; non toxic, gives product a pearly look and smooth texture, helps smooth skin.

Cyclopentasiloxane; non toxic, helps products to spread easier.

PEG 40 Stearate; toxic, used to help keep two liquids together that will not mix, like oil and water, used in spray on oven cleaners.

Cyclohexasiloxane; not enough chemical tests have been done on this to positively rate it, but from information that is known, the chemical seems to be non toxic.

Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil; non toxic, acts as a natural preservative as well as an anti inflammatory agent.

Ceramide 3; non toxic, chemical compound which acts like natural ceramide in the skin.

Biotin; non toxic, vitamin H (a water based B complex vitamin), helps renew skin cells.

Fragrance; multiple chemicals can make up fragrance, without knowing the exact chemical makeup, you cannot know whether it is toxic or not.

Carbomer; non toxic, used to thicken the product.

Sodium Hydroxide; toxic in high concentrations, no information on toxicity in the small concerntration used for skin care products, used to neutralize acid.

Phenoxyethanol;seems to be non toxic in the small concentrations used for skin care products, works as a preservative and microbial chemical.

Methylparaben; seems to be non toxic in the small concentrations used for skin care products, works as a preservative and microbial chemical.

Ethylparaben; seems to be non toxic in the small concentrations used for skin care products, works as a preservative and microbial chemical.

Propylparaben; seems to be non toxic in the small concentrations used for skin care products, works as a preservative and microbial chemical.

Butylparaben; seems to be non toxic in the small concentrations used for skin care products, works as a preservative and microbial chemical.

Isobutylparaben; seems to be non toxic in the small concentrations used for skin care products, works as a preservative and microbial chemical.

Although, I found lots of discrepancy in the information on my products chemicals, I listed information that I could find with non biased sources. I have to say that I found many skin care manufacturers that emphasized the good points in the chemicals and many radical groups that emphasized only the bad points.

I tried to take both of what these groups said if I could not find a non biased source of information on a certain chemical but I did not list claims that could not be proven (for instance, some chemicals are sited with possible links to breast cancer, but it has not been proven).

I have to admit that I was surprised at some of the chemicals used in my favorite skin care product, but I was glad to find that most of these chemicals are not as bad as the radical groups want you to believe. So, now it is your turn. What are you applying to your skin?